Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Merida Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Merida

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $728 in Merida, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,239 in Merida, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,750 in Merida, rent included.

Phuket costs about 72% more than Merida, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Merida are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Merida 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$9.91 VES 7,285

-54.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$44.60 VES 32.8K

3.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$9.82 VES 7,217

-9.98%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.57 VES 1,155

94.90%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.15 VES 844

-36.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.81 VES 597

-50.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.14 VES 837

113.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$1.48 VES 1,089

155.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.11 VES 1,549

7.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.42 VES 1,777

-25.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.65 VES 1,215

36.36%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.10 VES 1,547

7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$5.51 VES 4,054

254.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.44 VES 4,737

-43.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.35 VES 5,405

77.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$4.95 VES 3,642

-34.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.07 VES 785

51.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.72 VES 1,262

38.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.04 VES 765

95.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.91 VES 667

68.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.19 VES 871

26.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.27 VES 935

-22.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.81 VES 1,331

-71.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.10 VES 3,016

8.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$10.94 VES 8,044

67.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.17 VES 861

58.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.37 VES 1,007

95.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.27 VES 197

422.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$3.93 VES 2,888

-20.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$2.45 VES 1,800

-57.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.48 VES 353

172.92%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$45.4K VES 33.4M

-38.73%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$37.5K VES 27.6M

-11.41%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$122 ฿4,118

$13.23 VES 9,726

825.47%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.59 ฿457

$10.11 VES 7,428

34.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$37.46 VES 27.5K

-50.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$25.06 VES 18.4K

141.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$14.86 VES 10.9K

14.27%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.19 VES 5,285

26.15%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$706 ฿23.8K

$57.7 VES 42.4K

1125.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$89.4 VES 65.7K

-34.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$39.33 VES 28.9K

-10.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$85.8 VES 63.0K

34.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$63.9 VES 47.0K

31.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$115 VES 84.3K

445.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$89.0 VES 65.4K

400.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$209 VES 153.3K

878.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$191 VES 140.5K

680.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,171 VES 861.1K

197.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,223 VES 898.7K

110.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$290 VES 213.2K

72.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Merida: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $115 in Merida. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 72% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $45.00 in Merida. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $237 – making Merida the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Merida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 72% more than Merida, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,092 in Merida. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Merida, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,250 in Phuket and $728 in Merida. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $57.7 in Merida. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Merida, where all-in costs run around $728, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Merida it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Merida costs $728 versus $1,250 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Merida. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.